Digital Audio Maps: Interactive Word-Diagrams
Technology has empowered my students to demonstrate learning in different ways. In order to revise the relationships between characters and historical context in George Orwell’s allegorical novella ‘Animal Farm’, I created a digital ‘audio map’. This allowed Year 9 students to record verbal explanations linking characters with underlying political ideas about power and oppression.
Teaching with Keynote: #3 Scaffold Screen-recorded Tutorials
Students can combine Keynote slides and screen recordings to create tutorial videos. To do this, provide a simple structure for students to follow by making a clear scaffold in Keynote. Screen-recordings are a simple and effective way for teachers to see and hear what students know about a topic. Provide blank slides for students to drop in their recordings.
Teaching with Keynote: #2 Document a Process
Students can use Keynote to document a process with photographs. For example, students could show the process of photosynthesis, the process of building a bed-side table or the process of throwing a cricket ball. An image (or short video) on each slide supported with audio narration and text help children consolidate their understanding.
Teaching with Keynote: #1 Annotate & Animate
Students can use Keynote to animate their hand-written notes on top of an image and then add audio to explain their understanding. As we know from cognitive science, a combination of visual and verbal information allows students to retain information more effectively. Here’s a screen-shot example from a Science class.

